Chapter 86: Fourth Layer Iron Shirt, Wanted Zhu Bao

Chapter 86: Fourth Layer Iron Shirt, Wanted Zhu Bao (Request Subscription)

Three hundred and twenty-seven taels!

Zuo Chong alone carried two hundred and eighty taels—his wealth was truly substantial!

"An unexpected windfall, truly!" Su Chen exclaimed, delighted. "With this three hundred taels, I can finally perform the Gold-Fueled Enhancement on Iron Shirt!"

Without hesitation, Su Chen silently commanded the Progress Panel: "Recharge!"

In an instant, the Silver Notes in his hands vanished, and the Progress Panel displayed an additional Easy Mode attempt for Iron Shirt.

"Activate Easy Mode!"

[Easy Mode Activated: Soak in warm water for forty minutes to advance Iron Wire Fist · Residual to the Fourth Layer.]

The Progress Panel’s prompt followed immediately.

"Don’t execute Easy Mode yet. I’ll do it when I return."

Shaking his head, Su Chen decided against proceeding immediately. He was still in the wilderness—where would he find warm water? He’d have to wait until returning to the city.

But for now, he had no intention of going back. Earlier, while secretly observing, he’d overheard Zuo Chong muttering to himself, sparking an idea.

"So, Zuo Chong and his group were here to capture Zhu Bao? Zhu Bao might be hiding in Lianyun Fortress?"

It fit the cliché—“the most dangerous place is the safest.” But wasn’t that just a trope from dramas?

He felt uncertain. If it were him, he’d never choose to stay in Lianyun Fortress. For healing, any secluded spot would suffice. Why return there?

Yet, he reminded himself, he wasn’t Zhu Bao. Perhaps Zhu Bao had indeed chosen to stay.

"Lianyun Fortress recently seized Lin Family Fortress and added its wealth to their own. They must be flush with funds. If Zhu Bao is injured and I can seize Lianyun’s treasury, the benefits would be immense.

At my current strength, killing Zhu Bao would be as easy as squishing a chick. I might as well check tonight. If he’s truly there, I’ll rob him and eliminate the threat."

Resolving his plan, Su Chen hurried toward Lianyun Fortress. Previously, reaching the Lianyun Mountains would’ve taken half a day.

But with Skyshatter Kick and Chasing Wind Steps, his speed had improved drastically. He arrived at the mountain’s base in just two and a half hours.

Unfamiliar with Lianyun Fortress’s exact location, he struggled to find traces of Zuo Chong’s group. Following their footprints, he eventually located the bandit stronghold.

As Zuo Chong had described, the fortress had been razed by fire. The charred ruins stood eerily in the silent night.

"Would anyone really stay in a place like this?"

Surveying the wreckage, Su Chen felt doubt.

After observing quietly and detecting no unusual sounds, he stealthily entered the fortress. Scooping up some ashes, he tested their temperature.

"Cold to the touch. Yet the fortress doesn’t seem long burned. Could Zhu Bao have returned to set the fire himself?"

He speculated, wandering the ruins without finding any anomalies. This slightly disappointed him—it confirmed his suspicion but suggested Zhu Bao wasn’t here.

"Fine, time to return."

At a nearby inn, Su Chen ordered a tub of warm water from the waiter and ate a simple meal. Afterward, the waiter prepared the water as requested. Su Chen stripped and soaked in the tub.

Forty minutes later, his eyelids fluttered. The Progress Panel in his mind flickered—Iron Shirt had advanced from the Third to the Fourth Layer.

"Vital Force... it’s suddenly surged dramatically!"

He marveled at the change. The most noticeable difference was the thickening of his Vital Force.

This advancement surpassed even the leap from the Second to Third Layer.

If Third Layer Vital Force was as thin as a blood vessel, Fourth Layer was as thick as a middle finger—nearly tripling in volume!

"The three streams of Vital Force in my body now match the thickness of my middle finger. By sheer volume alone, my strength has at least tripled. But without a reference point, I can’t gauge exact improvements."

Reflecting, he felt both elated and frustrated—happy for the power boost, yet uncertain how it compared to others.

"I recall my master mentioning Tao Dingfang’s realm was Visceral Refinement. With my current strength, how would I fare against him?"

Visceral Refinement was a martial cultivation realm focusing on channeling Vital Force into internal organs, fortifying them to near-iron resilience against attacks.

While Su Chen’s cultivation realm was inferior to Tao Dingfang’s, his tripled Vital Force reserves might tip the scales.

Shaking his head, he dismissed further speculation. Exhausted from the day’s journey, he drifted to sleep.

The next morning, before dawn, Su Chen set out for White Stone City.

First, he changed clothes—Yang Guo’s identity was compromised. Tao Wenxuan might have spies in the city, and entering as Yang Guo risked exposure. He’d need to evade authorities.

After an hour’s effort, he reached White Stone City as the sky lightened.

Approaching the gates, he sensed something amiss. The city guards were unusually vigilant, interrogating every entrant.

"They must’ve found Zuo Chong’s body."

He guessed, unfazed. When questioned, he casually fabricated a reason and passed through.

Inside, he learned the news: Tao Dingfang had erupted in rage upon discovering Zuo Chong’s death. A wanted poster now offered a hefty reward for Zhu Bao’s severed head.

The city’s heightened security explained the guards’ scrutiny.

To his surprise, the wanted notice targeted Zhu Bao, not him. Tao Dingfang likely assumed Zhu Bao killed Zuo Chong’s group. The timing—Lianyun Fortress’s destruction in the morning and the murders at night—made the connection inevitable.

Unconcerned, Su Chen returned home to change, then slipped into the Lin Estate, retreating to his room.

Soon, Hong Ming and others began their morning training, greeting Su Chen as usual.

Another idle day passed. By the next morning, finally, news arrived from Tao Dingfang’s side.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end